The Red Moon
In a world, that may or may not be canon, there lives the kingdoms of the many dragon tribes. There are royalty, nobles and the common folk, but most importantly, there are assassins. When a deadly storm threatens the TrickWing kingdom, Narcotic, a rogue SandWing vigilante, must hunt down the one to bend the storm. A hybrid will save them all. '' ''Originally By: DragonInASuit and RadonTheHybrid Prologue As the cold winds of another storm blew across the frozen valley, a solitary egg sat still, embedded within the snow. It’s pure white shell was speckled with black which made it hardly noticeable to a dragon’s eye. Most might mistake it for a seal. The light of the three moons shone brightly on the surface of its shell, illuminating it along with the vast snowy land. Winds blew harshly against the ground as the egg began to wobble and shake. Cracks began to spiderweb across the outside of the egg as the dragonet inside began to break free. First it was a black talon, then a white arm, and a wing that sprouted from within. A tiny, black blazed head, made its way out of the remnants of the egg. The dragonet stretched his wings, showing the world how they twinkled like an inverted starry sky. Blue eyes glimmered with a teardrop as he blinked slowly, looking around. He squeaked. An echo squeaked back among the mountainous peaks. Once again, the dragonet squeaked, hoping to get a different answer from the echo, but it was the same. No one was around, not for miles and miles. Nothing but the echoes, the silence, and the wind. There was nothing. Mars was alone. ☽-☾ While the heated sun began to set blindly on the horizon, the Scorpion Den began to bustle with activity. Venomous tail swayed wickedly, as SandWings of all sizes gathered around the open nursery. In the middle of the crowd, large palm leaves sunk delicately with the weight of the many eggs, cradling them from harm. Dim flashes of orange and yellow from wall torches lit up the sandy floor. Many small conversations were being held, all pertaining to the special event. The surviving eggs of the year were about to hatch. One by one, they began to sway and crack open. SandWing dragonets, the color of gold and sunshine, crawled out from the embankment of the nest. Older dragons cooed and were in awe of their newborns as they all arrived safely into their arms. The egg farthest away from the bunch began to now move, only gaining the watchful eye of three dragons. Once the top of the egg was shattered, a platinum body escaped, glowing vibrantly amongst the others. One of the SandWings that took interest moved forward, picking up the small dragonet as she brought him to her face. The dragoness patted his head softly with her talons. “Well, aren’t you a handsome little one.” She cooed. Her eyes seemed to smile, setting a warm and comforting aura around him. He wanted to stay in the moment forever. “I’ll name you.. Narcotic… It seems pretty fitting.” She flashed a toothy smile. Dragons around him began to gasp, as something stirred within the nursery. Narcotic swiveled around to face the action, but was bombarded with a fight. Two of the other dragonets were fighting with another one of a smaller size. She squeaked and cried as the others bit her tail and clawed at her sides. Something within Narcotic ignited, fury running through his veins. Leaping (more like stumbling) out of the dragon’s talons, her galloped over to the brawl. Narcotic was confused of why the other, much older dragons weren’t trying to save her. Either it was because of the barbed tails, or the unspoken truth of the desert. You kill, or you die. Narcotic jumped on top of one of the bigger dragonets, sinking his claws and teeth into his throat from behind. The dragonet shrieked, trying to wiggle away from him. But to no avail, it was already too late, that breath would be his last. Facing away from the fight, the other attacker sprawled on top of Narcotic, trying to stab him with his tail. However, Narcotic was quicker. As he threw the dragonet off him, he took no time to run around behind him, piercing the scales of his attacker and letting the venom seep. Now the dragons were screaming, scrambling to get the remaining dragonet that were in the nests. Narcotic looked down at his talons, which were now blood soaked and sand coated. He looked back at where the dragoness stood. A smile was still plastered on her face. “Welcome to the world, little one.” Chapter 1 (4 Years Later) ' Narcotic shot down the winding alleys of the Scorpion Den, pushing aside idle SandWings as they browsed the rundown stalls. Normally, he would be the first to the training grounds, but with a grey sky, there was no sun to wake him up. It would shine brightly into his eyes and practically blind him. “Move, you boulders! I’m running late!” Narcotic groaned, shoving more dragons out of the way. When he arrived at the grounds, they welcomed him with open arms. The cactus did anyway. He accidentally ran into one. Sagebrush was waiting for him though, a smug look on her snout. Narcotic grinned slyly at her, but she said nothing. The bigger dragoness swept her orange colored body through the gate, almost smacking Narcotic with her tail. As the two dragons moved down the stone walkway, tall pillars loomed over them. Each one was covered in long strands of vines which were unable to bloom because of the desert heat. The end of the path gave way to a rocky arena, filled with groups of battling SandWings. From above, there was a supported stone bridge that connects to either side, letting soldiers observe them. Sagebrush walked onto the sandy floor, her scales catching the light of the sun, making her cast a long shadow on the other dragonets. “Everyone, line up!” She roared. The others filed quickly and quietly into a line in front of her, making sure not to make a fool of themselves. Narcotic decided to take his place next to a dragoness, Owl, who automatically shifted uneasily at his presence. “Alright, pipsqueaks.” Sagebrush produced seven scrolls from a brown leather satchel that hung around her neck. “A couple months ago, as you know, I was given instructions to “enhance” our training. I’ve received a scroll from Commander Jackal on which missions he’d like each of you to complete.” Sage unraveled the largest scroll and cleared her throat. “Nile and Beige, you’ll both be entering MudWings territory. Dingo and Cactus, the SkyWings, Fennec and Rattle, the DriftWings, and Owl will partner with Cobra to travel into SwiftWing territory.” Each one of the groups received a scroll, which they all opened hurriedly to read their missions. There was still one scroll left, his scroll. Sagebrush looked at Narcotic for a moment, then back at the list, scanning over it one more time. “Narcotic… You’ll be going into IceWing territory.” She tossed his scroll to him, putting the larger scroll back into her bag. “Do I not get a partner? That doesn’t seem fair.” Narcotic said, opening up the parchment. Sagebrush studied him for a moment, then sighed annoyingly. “Maybe the commander would have given you a better mission if you weren’t such a lazy iguana.” She stated, turning away. Narcotic’s heart pounded with excitement. He wasn’t complaining because he needed a partner, just that they wouldn’t get to have as much fun as he would. ☽-☾ Wingbeats from the SandWing could be heard as he soared across the kingdom. It felt exhilarating to travel to such a dangerous place. The IceWings’ kingdom was far beyond vast. Blizzards and hail can strike you in midair, so he’s heard. Narcotic was looking forward to the assassination, but he wondered why they would pick him for this mission. There were plenty of other dragonets, who were much older and slightly more skilled than he was. This land was completely uncharted to him. ''I sure hope this wasn’t a mistake. He thought. The task was plain and simple to Narcotic. Back at the grounds, they had many practice missions that took place before. One SandWing would dress up like an elder, while another would steal their bread. The objective was to stop the thief, and battle to the death. However, the death part was never enforced. It all played the role in becoming a warrior. Many who failed basic obedience training at the academy would become assassins for the Outlaws or the queen, based on how good you were. Narcotic could feel a change in the air as he neared IceWing territory. The wind began to whistle, and snow began to stick to his scales, chilling him to the bone. Three moons it’s freezing! Flying through the bitter cold was exhausting. It was almost suffocating as the air closed around him, penetrating his scales. He wanted to turn back, he wanted to never leave the safety of his small shack, all cozy and warm. Narcotic knew he couldn’t run now. All he could see is snow, and more snow. Maybe a rock or two, but mainly snow. The desert was much less boring than this. You had sand, and a cactus, and maybe some more sand. Okay, so it’s not that different, but way better in his opinion. Down below, he could see a small hut of some sort. A warm glow of fire flooded out of the window. Narcotic descended quietly, making sure that he didn’t make too much noise whenever he landed. He crept up to the window, and peered inside. Beyond that, the room was bare. Only a couple of pots and pans, some skewered fish, and the bodies of two sleeping IceWings. Narcotic drew in a shaky breath and made his way around the front of the hut, opening the door slowly. The wings of the dragons rose and settled easily as they slept. Perfect. He had always been fond of killing others in their sleep. Narcotic took a step forward, weaving in and out of a tangled mess of tails. Suddenly, the floorboard creaked beneath his weight. Both IceWings woke up instantly. '''“INTRUDER!” Roared the largest one, scrambling around to fight him off. Narcotic was terrified now. He stood his ground and swung his barbed tail. It sunk directly into the IceWing’s shoulder. The white dragon roared in pain as he crumbled into a corner, clutching his arm. The other IceWing hissed and pounced. Narcotic was pinned against the floor with a death like grip on his throat. His tail was pinned beneath the IceWing’s foot, unable to get free. Narcotic was struggling fiercely. His heart was pounding as the breath was being taken from him. The attackers jaw unhinged, making way for the deadly frost breath, but the SandWing knew how to avoid him. Reaching over, Narcotic grabbed one of the pots that had fallen to the floor, and swung as hard as he could at the IceWing’s face. A sickening crack echoed through the hut. The IceWing’s eyes closed as he slumped on top of Narcotic. Blue blood was gushing out of the wound, all over him and the floor. Narcotic was hyperventilating. He’d never experienced something so petrifying. As quick as he could, he rolled the IceWing’s body off of him while trying to go for the door, which ended in his neck being snagged by the spike on the dragon’s wing. Bolting out the door, he took flight into the harsh cold. Narcotic never flew so fast in his life. He didn’t even know where he was going, but he flew. Even if he did have the slightest idea, it wouldn’t matter. This was a death trap. Every single inch of this wasteland looked the same. Narcotic began to break down and cry. As he flew, blood leaked from his neck, dripping onto the snow far below, staining it red. He flew for what seemed like hours. Narcotic soared beyond the cold, and into the mist. Now he was truly lost. The fog that surrounded him was thick and murky. You couldn’t even see five inches in front of your snout! Narcotic dodged bare trees and lingering thorns that clung to branches. He was able to navigate through the mist, exiting into an unexpected town. It was far bigger that the Scorpion Den, but had the same old structures and houses as the SandWings did. Dragons moved throughout the roads. Each with scales of purple, grey, and maroon, and frills like RainWings. Narcotic’s wings gave out, sending him crashing into one of the shacks. The shopkeeper shrieked, bearing her fangs at him. Narcotic crawled from beneath the ruined shop and ran into the street. Other dragons crowded around in confusion and anger, hissing and lashing their tails. Narcotic pushed through the crowd towards the center square, avoiding bites and a few scratches from the onlookers. He didn’t have training for this. The SandWing’s head was becoming dizzy from blood loss and exhaustion. Narcotic slid to the stone ground, watching as what he assumed were guards, grow closer. “P-please… Leave me a-alone…” He whimpered, resting his talons on the reopened gash on his neck. The blood had started to turn purple as it mixed with his IceWing attackers’. “Out of my way!” Bellowed a voice from the crowd. Everyone stopped and began to look around. A great purple dragon moved through the crowd towards Narcotic. A black dress hung around her, radiating regalness. The dragoness stood in front of him, looking down, “Where did you come from, young one?” Narcotic began to sob again, a bloody and crying mess. He was broken, and she could see that. She smiled softly, resting her talons on his head, stroking him softly. “There, there, hush now, don’t cry.” She whispered. Narcotic felt something in that moment. It wasn’t happiness, far from it, he was still wary of the other dragons around him. He felt it a long time ago, but it’s just now surfacing again. A spark of fire. Warmth. Chapter 2 (7 Years Later) The hybrid opened his eyes slowly, peering out into the vast void of the night sky. The last few days had been troubling for Mars. Unable to get the slightest bit of sleep, he barely had energy to hunt for himself. Though the arctic cold was mostly empty, his mind swirled with thoughts and voices. These voices were often crude and unwanted, but Mars had to deal with them. A curse like this would never go away. Cold air circulated throughout his cave, bringing in the blizzard that he had avoided for some time. Mars’ stomach growled, unable to bear the lack of food anymore. Dragging himself out into the snow, he looked around for the usual delicacies. Seals, caribou, even a moose would be nice. Many of them were probably frozen from the storm, but he couldn’t wait any longer. Mars stepped out into the heaps of snow that piled at the mouth of the cave, feeling it crunch under his talons. He’s always enjoyed the cold, but up until now it almost seemed bothersome. Creeping along the snowbanks, Mars made his way over to the familiar hunting grounds. It was a large pond of sorts. There were few trees that surrounded it, bare from the freezing temperatures, but still alive from animals that dwelled in hollows. The glassy look of the frozen water reflected everything, even the birds that flew through the sky. Towards the far end of the pond, Mars could see a crack in the ice where a few, youthful looking seals played happily. Gradually, he drew closer, weaving his way through the snow. The seals were now in his sight, still oblivious to his presence. Mars crept behind one that was a fair size, and pounced. No doubt the seals were alarmed. They barked and huffed, trying to slide back into the water for safety. The one that Mars snagged was beginning to lash around, as it attempted to escape his crooked claws. With the burst of energy, she exhausted quickly, making it easier for Mars to drag back to his cave. It wasn’t as easy as he thought. The snow storm had already picked up quite a bit during the hunt, and the sky had already begun to show signs of dawn. Soft orange hues danced their way across the sky. Some of them mixed with the purples of the night creating an astounding display of light. When the sun was out, Mars chose to stay indoors. He couldn’t risk himself getting caught by any guards that chose to roam the area where he stayed. When he arrived at the cave, there was even more snow piled at the front. Mars sighed, pushing through it with his wings, hoping there wouldn’t be as much of a mess. He sat down his prey and looked solemnly at it. Grabbing a few branches of dried wood that Mars had found day earlier, he began to construct a small fire. Normally, a raw seal would hold Mars over, but since the blizzard doesn’t seem like it’ll let up anytime soon, it’s better safe than sorry. Mars touched his silver tear lightly with his talon, tracing it as the fire begun to grow. Turning away, he moved further into the small cave. It was barely big enough to fit two dragons, but he didn’t mind. Mars’ tail brush up against his pallet of furs which was piled next to a large flat rock. Scattered across the surface were segments of scrolls. Painted pictures of the arctic sunrise, the mountains, and even the IceWing Kingdom. Mars sighed again, this one with a hint of sadness. He picked up one of the painted pieces and held it close, looking back towards the entrance. Mars knew that peace was on the brink of being broken. Being frozen over by the storm. ☽-☾ Mars opened his eyes again. He found himself curled up near the fire while the blizzard still raged beyond the cave. What had woken him up was the bombarding mind of another, their thoughts rang out loud and clear through the storm. It was already dark again, and moonlight poured through the front. Thankfully, the snow had stopped piling up, it was just the wind now. Lifting up himself, Mars stretched his long, thin body, extending his wings to either side of the cave with ease. The taste of seal was still on his tongue as he opened his jaw to yawn. Mars look down at the cave, seeing that the stone floor was covered with frost. I guess the temperature dropped more than I thought it would. He thought. Again, he was greeted by the same voice in his head, now much closer and more loud. “Why do I have to be on patrol at this time of night?” The voice said angrily. “I didn’t even do anything! It was all Frigid’s fault. Him and his big mouth! ‘Oh no, commander, I’ll take your spot while you rest.’ UGH! He makes me want to put snow in my ears.” Mars was went wide-eyed. Sheesh! He thought, stepping towards the cave’s opening. He looked up towards the source of the voice, but pulled back into the cave quickly. The dragon was just outside, sitting in the snow. Steadily, Mars stuck his head back around the corner, studying them quietly. It was an IceWing dragoness, about twice as big as him. Her body was covered in a thin suit of metallic armor. She certainly wasn’t the best soldier, seeing as she was too busy worrying about her own problems. “I swear when I get back to the kingdom, I’ll give him a piece of my mind.” She thought. The dragoness scooped up some of the snow at her talons and threw it into the air. It rained down on her, which made her even more mad. The IceWing took off into the night, her mind still raging about other dragons rather than work. Mars tucked his head back into his cave, trying to stifle a giggle. It wasn't often that there was a dragon patrolling at this hour. That was a bit concerning for him. If dragons were starting to come out at this hour, that’d give him a better chance at being exposed. He couldn’t go back to the IceWing Kingdom. There were too many dragons and so much pain. Mars would be used again. Thousands of voices raining down on him, his mind aching for a break. All the pain would encompass him there, and there wouldn’t be anyone to stop it. Even one IceWing was far too much to handle. Mars looked back outside, seeing that the soldier was far off in the distance, and decided to step out. Everything was sparkling and rather bright. He closed his eyes, letting the wind ripple across his scales, and entangle with his icy blue spines. Mars’ head began to spin with the all too familiar feeling of pain, and he opened his eyes. A maroon light was cast down on the once white snow. Every small flake that fell, dripped like fire, and burned his scales. Mars shrieked in pain as they touched him. Looking up, he was met with the most terrifying sight. One of the smallest moons were red, turning everything the color of blood. Even the stars that twinkled beside it were red, now shining wickedly. “By the moons… Not again!” Mars roared. Another, more powerful voice, echoed throughout his skull, causing him to collapse into the snow, holding his head. You have to kill him. Do it now! Kill, kill, kill! Destroy the beast! Mars shouted back at it, “Stop! Get out of my head!”. It was no use. A vision slowly grew in the back of his head, one that felt like a mountain being dropped on him. Red moons… the sky growing darker by the minute. Where the sky was swallowed by darkness, and a dragon reigned above it all. It was doomsday. His eyes snapped open as he roared in agony. Mars looked around, but everything was normal again. No blood moon, no fire raining down on him, nothing. He held his chest, his heart nearly jumping out from how fast it was pumping. Was it a dream? He wondered. The more Mars thought about the vision, the more he knew the future. There was something that would swallow the moon, taking the whole world down with it. Chapter 3 (ACK! I'm so sorry I haven't been uploading lately. I'm busy, busy, busy. Well, I hope you can enjoy this extra long chapter I've whipped up for you guys. :D ) “Right! Left! Right! Left!” Narcotic bellowed, watching the TrickWing in front of him slash the hay-filled pillows he was holding. Friday started to huff as she reached for the pillows again, dragging her claws gracefully across the front, cutting them open. Her bright pink bows were bouncing around on her horns, almost beginning to fall off. “It’s not fair! You’re too tall!” Friday whined, hitting the pillow again. They had been training almost non-stop for hours. “Most of the dragons you’re going to be fighting will be taller than you.” Narcotic stated, his feet moving quicker to keep out with the pace of the bouncing dragonet. “You need to learn how to defend yourself.” The princess sneered, swiftly turning her body and slicing the pillow in half with her tail. Her blue eyes were filled with fury. Narcotic used the second pillow to block Friday’s claws as she lunged at him again. Given that she was only three years of age, she still could pack a punch. “I do know how to defend myself! That’s why I asked you to practice in the first place!” She yelled, twisting again to slash at the pillow, only then missing it by a hair. “All the combat trainers in the kingdom are beyond boring. I thought I could learn to battle against a different tribe before becoming queen.” It was Narcotic’s turn to sneer now. Though Friday had the skills and the smarts to become queen, he wasn’t going to simply stand by and watch Jinx fall. Even though he couldn’t interfere at all, there was always something to be done about dragons. However, to get rid of Friday would be a challenge. The princess was sure to catch on to the plans Narcotic has been planning. In the past months, Friday has been quite interested in the poison immunity games that he and the queen play. Once every so often, the SandWing’s dish may be laced with a different substance that was sure to kill any dragon they entered. Now the game is never played during a royal feast. The last pillow that Narcotic was holding is far from perfect, now being riddled with claw marks. As Friday drew back to regain her stance, Narcotic dropped the tattered object, changing to talon to talon combat. “Again, not fair!” She spat, flaring her frill along her neck. “Your talons are, like, twice as big as mine.” The princess swiped upwards, clawing at Narcotic’s chest. Without much luck, Friday reared up on her back legs to reach for his snout. Narcotic held his head high out of reach of the dragonet as he swung his tail at her feet. With a loud thud, the princess fell on the stone ground, at mercy at the deadly barb that loomed over her. “If you want to be queen,” He hissed. “You have to learn how to survive.” Narcotic let his tail fall, smacking against the floor right next to her neck. A small blue TrickWing emerged from the entryway of the court, his long robe raking dangerously close to the ground. “Narcotic,” he started “You’re needed in the throne room. It seems quite urgent.” Everything was urgent these days. He mentally rolled his eyes and waved the adviser off. Narcotic looked back at to where Friday was, seeing that she was struggling to tie one of her bows back onto her horns. “We can finish this later, princess.” He said, giving a sly smile which she happily ignored. Each time Narcotic strode through the palace, he felt like he was just a tiny ant being compared to a beetle. Large marble pillars held the kingdom’s hallways up, hauntingly tall. Somehow, in all it’s beauty, there was something about it that made him uneasy. He always thought it was the history of the kingdom, no doubt there was bloodshed. However, it could have been much more than that. Narcotic approached the door that led to the throne room, opening it softly, he slipped inside. No matter what room you decide to step into in this kingdom, you’re bound to find something entirely different on the other side. For the many years that Narcotic has lived here, the entire layout of the castle was seared into his brain. Almost every nook and cranny had been touched by his talons, and that wasn’t always a good thing. There were still some rooms that made him the slightest bit uncomfortable, suffocating almost. Nevertheless, it was always nice to find a room that wasn’t as bad. Long white cloth draped from the ceiling down to the floor inside the room, covering the the marble walls and decor that hung from them. Very few guards in the room today, normally there were at least six dragons on either side, but now there were just four. Strange… Narcotic thought. They all puffed out their chests when he walked by in an attempt to try and look menacing. Maybe it would have worked for the regular dragon, but hot so much with him. He’d practically grown up with some of them, many of which he could name. Narcotic approached a second door, stained dark and inlaid with silver veins, almost similar to stems on flowers. Two guards stood in his way of the door, gripping their spears. “State your business, SandWing.” Said one of the guards. He often pondered if they were showing off or just doing their job. It was never this still in the Scorpion Den. “I’m here to speak with the queen about ‘urgent’ matters. Also, you don’t have to be so harsh when addressing me. It really hurts my feelings.” Narcotic said, trying to act wounded. The guards weren’t amused. “Fine. Let him through.” The guard gestured to the other, stepping aside to let him pass. He pushed open the door and slithered through. A long and room greeted him on the other side, one that was sparsely but unique in every way. Perhaps he thought it was unique because he’s never been in many other throne rooms other than this. Long tapestries hung from the side walls, with illustrations of a sleeping dragons and stars. Narcotic strode down the center carpet, letting his tail sway more freely than normal. In the middle of the room was the queen’s throne, surrounded by a think moat of water, and then in the center was the queen. She hung awkwardly on the silver seat, her tail hanging off one side and her arms extending farther that the armrests. Narcotic followed her gaze to who she was speaking with, and he was met with the glimmering scales of an IceWing. There was a wave of disgust that hit him. Though the IceWings were allies with the TrickWings, he couldn’t stop himself from hating them. Almost instinctively, Narcotic was going to reach up to feel the jagged scar on his neck, but he fought the action. The queen turned her attention to him now. “Narcotic. So happy you could join us today.” She gave a forced smile, something that lacked all the enthusiasm in the world. Narcotic stopped short of the moat, extending his wings and bowing deeply. “Jinx, your majesty.” He said, lifting his head back up to stare at her. “What gives me the honor of being here today?” Jinx rolled her eyes, but the corner of her snout drew up slightly. The IceWing just gave him a confused look, which he promptly gave back a disgust one. “I’ve been discussing with Queen Snowfall about the complex weather patterns we’ve been having recently. As you know, there have been reports of freak blizzards and snow pileups all over the kingdom. This has led to some detailed research regarding the IceWing’s past and they’ve uncovered something about a… Um… What did you say it was again?” Jinx looked over at the IceWing who was watching her intently drone on about the weather. She then realized it was her turn to speak. Quickly pulling herself to her feet, she trotted over towards Narcotic, extending her talon. “Greetings, SandWing. My name is Steller. Please to make your acquaintance.” She said, smiling. Narcotic looked at her with a blank, cold face. Steller put her arm back at rest, a faint blue coloring appearing around her snout. “Back at our kingdom,” She started “My team of early geneticists and I have uncovered archived documents pertaining to a special type of dragon that was once here on the continent. Not an entirely different species per se, but somewhat of a magical ability. From what we know, it could have very well stemmed from the present day animus magic.” Steller’s eyes twinkled. He knew she’d been practicing that spill for a while. Narcotic looked away from her and back at Jinx, who of which had also seemed to grow bored of the IceWing’s speaking. “So is this some kind of super animus or-” “Not necessarily.” Steller interrupted. “This type of magic allows the dragon to control the weather that their tribe is surrounded by. It’s only prevalent in IceWings of course.” She smiled while sucking up all the pride in the room. “It’s really quite an adventure! We should definitely talk about it some more.” “Oh, yes, please do.” Jinx said “However, do it somewhere more quiet… And away from me. I have other important things to do then listen to a dragon drone on about silly snowflakes and hail storms.” She flicked her wrist, motioning them away. He inwardly cringed as Steller bounced up beside him as they walked down one of the two hallways the room split into. Narcotic can hear the sacks of scrolls and utensils that are hung around her neck, making a quiet jingling sound. The hall grew narrow as it descended for a moment, giving way to another long hall with plenty of doors on either side. Steller looked around, a sound of awe escaping. “Y’know, I’ve never been to the TrickWing kingdom before. More like any kingdom. I’m normally up in a tower filing research papers and conducting experiments. It looks a lot nicer than I thought it would be.” Narcotic sighed loudly, pushing open one of the dark wooden doors for her, and she happily stepped through. She’s foolish. He thought. I could have easily killed her by now. Are all IceWing subjects so untrained? It was a small room, big enough for four dragons to sit comfortably around the table in the middle. Steller saw the table immediately and began to lay out what seemed like every scroll in the universe. It was so unorganized and aggravating that he wanted to rip all them apart. “I never got your name, SandWing. Another thing that I was wondering about, was why are you all the way out here? Shouldn’t you be serving your queen or doing whatever SandWings do?” She questioned, turning her head towards him but keeping her talons busy. Every word that this IceWing spoke was even less appealing than the prior. It made his head hurt just standing there. “My name is Narcotic, and I am serving my queen. Jinx is just as good, and maybe better, as any other queen.” Steller turned her head away, now taking out small compasses and writing utensils. “Alright then, Narcotic… So what is it that you do here while serving your queen, hm?” “I’m an assassin.” He hissed. The IceWing stopped for a moment, trying to process what she was actually getting herself into. “Oh. I see.” She said with her movements now much slower than before. Narcotic moved over next to her, surveying the different pieces of parchment that she laid out. There were many that dove heavily into detail about the IceWing anatomy and others being the documentation of IceWing animuses and their gifts for the tribe. One of the scrolls she pulled out was freshly written on with black and blue ink. This must be the one that’s the most important. “Well, as you can see we have a lot of scrolls to look over.” Steller said hesitantly while making an effort to grin without shaking. She slid one of the older looking scrolls over towards him, using a small globe-like light that she took out of her satchel to make the words a bit more noticeable. There was a short pause as Narcotic read over the contents that it contained. “We have found scrolls that have been dated back to over 4,000 years ago that have been archived deep within the walls of the IceWing kingdom. What we seem to be dealing with here, is a weather controlling phenomenon called the Polar Compass. This is very similar to animus magic, but less soul threatening to the host body. You see, each dragon that is ‘blessed’ with the ability can control a certain element that represents them.” Steller slid over another scroll, adjusting the globe to shine on it. “Our subject today, Hyemal, was the first recorded Compass at the time. He had the amazing ability to control freak blizzards. It should also be noted that he was the one to cause the Hundred Year’s Ice-Age.” Her eyes darted to and from Narcotic and the scroll as he read. “These powers are always cold climate related, so you wouldn’t have to worry about a MudWing controlling earthquakes or anything.” Steller then shifted his attention to a medium sized scroll that has been rolled out neatly under a pile of other scrolls. “Here we have the family tree of all known Compasses that were recorded in the IceWing kingdom. Some of their abilities have been scratched out, but we took a wild guess based on the inheritance of other generations.” Narcotic looked down the list of names and the powers that came with them. Freezing rain, hail and sleet, and the more he looked down the line, the more uneasy he felt around the IceWing. What if she’s a Compass? He thought, eyeing her up and down. She noticed and giggled softly. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m not one of them.” Steller looked down the list again then back at Narcotic. “I would have known by now. The IceWing’s are a tribe of secrets, but we can rarely keep secrets from each other. That’s not how it works.” She then pointed to the last name towards the end of the scroll, no ability was listed. “It says that he’s the last Polar Compass known in the entire kingdom. I bet he’s holding back something powerful with a name like Mars.” To be continued...Category:Fanfictions (Fanon) Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)